


Good Wanda Hunting

by Artemis_Egeria



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AUgust 2020, AUgust Day 2, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/M, First Kiss, Gen, Pre-Relationship, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, loosely based on Good Will Hunting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:48:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25688338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_Egeria/pseuds/Artemis_Egeria
Summary: Wanda is a self-taught mathematical genius who solves a complicated equation while wandering the halls of a prestigious university. When a teaching assistant discovers her work, a whole new world opens up before her.
Relationships: Pre-Wanda Maximoff/Vision - Relationship, Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Comments: 11
Kudos: 21
Collections: AE's Scarlet Vision AUgust 2020, AUgust 2020





	Good Wanda Hunting

**Author's Note:**

> A little late, but I got it done! I'm excited for the next prompt, too.

Wanda passed through a hallway, trying to appear as an average student, looking for lectures where they might be handing out food. On her way to the next lecture room, she saw a chalkboard set up with a long equation. She couldn’t help herself. She studied the board intently.

The equation was reminiscent of one she had found in an advanced math book that she had scrounged from a used book store. Hesitantly, she made a few marks on the board. Then, she got engrossed in the pattern of the formula and found the chalk smoothly forming the solutions in her mind.

Untold minutes later, she paused to look at her handiwork. It was a more complex equation than she had ever solved before, but she was confident it was correct. Wanda hurried away when she finally realized she had spent so long at the board.

She only sensed the presence of another person behind her when she turned a corner and glanced back. A tall man was frowning at the board before looking up and catching her eye. He began to follow her, and Wanda’s instincts led her to run.

“Miss,” he called after her as his pace increased. She ignored him; this response never boded well. She would not have an encounter with cops for solving a math problem. She escaped into the outside world before he could reach.

A few minutes later, she was walking away casually, trying to act as if nothing had happened. Sadly, her pursuer was in better shape and stealthier than she would have expected. He came around in front of her.

“I apologize for startling you, but may I just speak with you for a few moments?”

Wanda began to panic. She could not get into any more trouble. “Please. I’ll fix it. I’m sorry. Just don’t call the police.”

The man looked truly confused. “Not at all. You are not in trouble in the least.” He was the picture of earnestness as he reassured her. “May we start over?” She couldn’t bring herself to respond, but he continued tentatively. “Hello, my name is Victor Shade. I am a post-doctoral fellow here. You have just solved the equation that has puzzled students since I was an undergraduate.”

“Hi, I’m Wanda.” This stranger did not need to know her last name, no matter how nice he seemed. “I was just playing around.”

“Just playing around?” Wanda blushed under Shade’s openly awed gaze. She shrugged. “That is most impressive. May I ask where you studied?”

“I didn’t study anywhere. I picked up some things from books along the way.” He looked even more dazzled. She suddenly had to get away. She was already late. Pietro would be worried.

“If I’m not in trouble, I really have to go.” She turned and let her footsteps speed her on her way. She ignored Shade’s calls after her. At least he didn’t try to follow her again.

When she arrived at their tiny apartment, she apologized for not being able to find any food. Wanda and Pietro pooled their resources to try to feed themselves for the night. She did not tell him about that afternoon’s adventure.

***

A few weeks later Wanda returned to the university. Despite her better instincts, she couldn’t resist walking through the same hallway that she had passed the previous time. There was a new equation outside a lecture room. She ordered herself to simply move on, but her feet remained firmly planted in front of the board.

Wanda studied the board. This equation was even more complicated than the last. It was beyond her to try to solve it in her head. Ideally, she would have several free hours, a comfortable desk, and lots of scrap paper to work on it. Still, her brain immediately presented her with several possible solutions.

It was only then that she heard the smooth voice of the man she had encountered last time from inside the lecture room. Wanda cautiously poked her head in the door. It was a large room, full to bursting with rows upon rows of clean-cut students. There were only a few empty seat in the last row.

Still arguing with herself, Wanda slid into the room, closing the door behind her as silently as she could and sat down. No one reacted. Oddly enough for a math lecture, they all seemed to be hanging on Shade’s every word. He was explaining the history of the equation in the most engaging way she had ever heard, with much more passion than was usually associated with math.

At the end of the lecture, Wanda was not fast enough to leave before the seats around her emptied out and her standing up caught Shade’s eye. She really had to pay better attention if she was going to keep sneaking around here.

Shade said nothing and made no move to try to approach her, but Wanda was drawn to him. She had come this far; she might as well keep going.

A line of students had paused to ask him questions about an upcoming exam. When he finally reached her, she was playing with her rings in nervous anticipation. Shade’s smile lit up his whole face. Wanda was a bit taken aback at how handsome he looked. “Hello, again. I had not expected to see you after our last meeting.”

“Hi. Um, I saw the new equation outside.”

“Have you solved that one too?” She would have expected that question to be mocking based on the tales of mathematicians’ failure to solve it over the years. But his tone was filled with such earnest admiration and excitement, that she blushed.

“Not quite. I was wondering if I could take a picture of it. I have some ideas that I want to work on.”

“I can do you one better than that. I told the professor I work for about how you solved it.” He saw her immediate panic and urge to run out of the building again, continuing on quickly. “I did not tell him anything about you. I explained that you wanted to be anonymous. But he wanted me to tell you that he would happily take on anybody who could solve that equation in a few minutes in their head. He said he could move some funds around to pay for another research fellowship. It’s not much, but it might be an incentive?” He was looking at her with so much hope in his eyes that she fidgeted even more.

“I don’t know.”

He nodded. “You have time to think. He was thrilled. He’ll take you on at any time. Please at least consider it.”

“All right,” Wanda allowed reluctantly.

“Here’s my number.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple business card. “You can call me with your answer or if you have any questions about the position.” Wanda took it, slipping it into the pocket of her skirt. She was about to bolt when a look of revelation came over his features. “And I have one more thing for you.” He held up a finger and went behind his podium.

He brought a book back to her. “This is one of my favorite books. It tells the stories of a number of famous mathematical equations. It is where I found most of the material for today’s lecture, and the equation outside is in the back.”

“You didn’t have to buy this for me.” Her reaction was clearly not what he had hoped because his face fell. Wanda was already calculating how she could repay him. She didn’t like to be indebted to anyone, no matter how small the amount.

“I know, but it was my pleasure. I had hoped I would see you again some time.” He studied her face for a long moment. “There is no pressure. Accepting the book does not mean you must accept the position. If you don’t want the book at all, I would understand.”

Wanda had no earthly idea how he seemed to intuit her concerns, but something about him put her at ease. “No, I’ll take it. I’ll think about what you’ve said.”

His smile was back in full force. “Oh, good.”

“But I’m late again. I’ll be in touch.” This time she waved at him and walked leisurely up the steps and out the door.

She still told Pietro nothing of the possibilities opening up before her.

***

A few weeks later, after another time choosing between her anxiety medication and food and watching Pietro’s feet blister from terrible shoes he was forced to wear, Wanda decided to call Shade. They set up a meeting to discuss the details of the position.

Wanda also continued to work on the equation from the blackboard. When the date of the meeting arrived, Wanda couldn’t eat the entire day leading up to it. She finally made excuses to Pietro and walked to the university.

Somehow, Wanda was able to remain calm during the introduction to Shade’s professor. Shade’s steady, calm presence next to her, along with the professor’s obvious delight in her skills, likely helped. They shook hands once all the details were finalized and set up another date to finish the paperwork. Wanda stayed behind to talk with Shade afterwards. She thanked him for his encouragement and showed him some of her notes on the equation.

When she finally returned home, Pietro was worried and angry once again at her lateness. She finally had to admit what was going on. Though he was hurt that she hadn’t told him earlier, he was genuinely happy for her opportunity and wanted to know all about it.

They stayed up late, talking and dreaming of what the future would bring.

***

The next few months passed in a blur. They were the happiest of Wanda’s life. She and Victor worked together on the equation. She finally had the time to devote to proper study. She and Pietro were able to move to a new apartment and finally have stable access to sufficient food. There was no more choosing between food and other necessities or just scraping by.

Part of her new position involved being a teaching assistant and grading exams. Victor had two large lecture classes and she helped with hundreds of tests. Around those exams, she and Victor stayed up together late into the night. When she greeted Pietro in the morning, he always gave her a wicked smile and asked if she had fun. She always responded with heated denial, but the idea was becoming more appealing all the time.

Finally, the end of the school year arrived. Victor invited Wanda to his apartment for dinner. He claimed it was only to fortify themselves for the long night ahead, but there was a renewed tentativeness to his manner that made Wanda hope he might consider it a date. Wanda happily agreed. She brought the dessert.

During the grading of the final exams, Wanda and Victor gave each other challenges to find the answer that was farthest from the correct one, any incorrect answers that appeared multiple times, any funny comments that might show up if a student surrendered, among others. When they had started, Wanda

When they finished and were comparing notes, they collapsed together in a fit of laughter, already a bit punch drunk by the sheer number of exams they had reviewed and the late hour. Victor proposed a toast. He brought out a bottle of champagne that he only drank to celebrate the end of a semester.

Victor held up his glass to her. “To my partner and a successful year.” They clinked their glasses together before savoring each sip of the bubbly liquid. When they finished their drinks, Wanda realized they were still sitting very close together. Vision smiled at her, offering to take her glass.

Wanda tried to use that as an opportunity to stand, preparing to leave. But her body was reluctant to move. Victor came back and sat beside her once again. He left a respectable space between them, but Wanda found herself dissatisfied with that. She scooted closer, and Victor’s arm automatically went around her shoulders.

Smiling up at him, she felt far more drunk than one small glass of champagne warranted. At least he looked equally disoriented as he returned her smile. After an endless moment of gazing at each other, they leaned forward. Their lips met in a sweet, gentle kiss.

When they separated, Wanda knew that she didn’t have to go anywhere.

**Author's Note:**

> I may expand on this sometime in the future. There were a few scenes/extensions that I wanted to include, but since I’m already behind on both reading and writing AUgust fics, I just wanted to finish.


End file.
